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Tuscan Marry Me Butter Beans

Tuscan marry me butter beans in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with large lima beans and wilted spinach. Simmered until the sauce thickens, then finished with parmesan for a rich, spoon-coating texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Butter beans
  • 3 can (15 oz) butter beans (large lima beans), drained
Spinach and aromatics
  • 3 cup baby spinach
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
  • 5 garlic, minced
Cream sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
  • 2 tbsp olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste
Serving
  • 1 Crusty bread for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sauté the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic
  1. Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and lightly sizzling.
Build the creamy sauce
  1. Add the heavy cream, broth, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Cook the beans
  1. Add the butter beans to the simmering sauce. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the beans are heated through.
Wilt and finish
  1. Stir in the baby spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until wilted.
  2. Stir in the grated parmesan. Season generously with salt and pepper until the sauce is smooth and well coated.
Serve
  1. Serve the butter beans hot with crusty bread. Use the bread to soak up the creamy sauce.

Notes

For best texture, keep the sauce at a gentle simmer after adding the cream—high heat can make it separate. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or cream as needed; freezing is not recommended for the creamiest result. If you want a lighter option, replace heavy cream with half-and-half or a thick unsweetened cream alternative and add parmesan at the end.